Using 13 amp lead at friend's house

[rgilyead]

The PHEV manual is full of dire warnings about using the 13amp lead unless there is a dedicated circuit. When I go to visit friends' houses should I ask to plug in or not? Am I going to wreck their domestic supply?

 

[CJ1045]

Well we run an extension from an outbuilding at home and have run it off a plug in the garage at my parents and nothing has got even vaguely warm let alone exploded

If you do run an extension then make sure it is rated for 13a and is fully unrolled.

CJ

 

[rgilyead]

I's not the extension lead that worries me but whether the plug in the garage is on it's own cable from the fuse unit or shares a fuse/circuit breaker with other circuits. The manual says that shared circuits can overheat.

 

[Phever]

well if it can't handle charging the phev, just hope they don't have a toaster, kettle, cold feed washing machine, rice cooker, etc etc. phev draws 2.4kw max. all the above can draw more from a socket.

 

[maby]

I hope you are going to offer to pay! A full charge costs a pound at least...

 

[jaapv]

Really?? I pay 65 Eurocent....

 

[CJ1045]

A charge for me is £1.17

CJ

 

[maddogsetc]

Really interesting discussion. In fairness to the OP I think this thread needs to be split as it's gone waaaaayyyy off-topic!

 

[Paule23]

Going back to the original question, I think the consensus was if you have a modern home with a decent consumer unit, there should be no real issues plugging into a normal socket. Does this sound about right?

I'm planning an OLEV installation, but it might be a bit late.....

 

[jaapv]

Really interesting discussion. In fairness to the OP I think this thread needs to be split as it's gone waaaaayyyy off-topic!

Agree

 

[maddogsetc]

Really interesting discussion. In fairness to the OP I think this thread needs to be split as it's gone waaaaayyyy off-topic!

Agree

Okay, here goes. Hope it works!

 

[maddogsetc]

Success!

If you are looking for the wind turbine vs nuclear discussion, it's now here: http://www.myoutlanderphev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=844

 

[jaapv]

Well done !

 

[rgilyead]

So is anyone going to answer my original question - should I plug the 13amp cable into a friend's house supply? Would you? Anyone done it? (I will offer to pay by the way).

 

[greendwarf]

So is anyone going to answer my original question - should I plug the 13amp cable into a friend's house supply? Would you? Anyone done it? (I will offer to pay by the way).

Yes

 

[jaapv]

Well, do inquire as to the rating and make sure he does not run an airco off the same fuse.

 

[Paule23]

Well, do inquire as to the rating and make sure he does not run an airco off the same fuse.

What's an airco?

 

[Regulo]

Air conditioning unit? I think the main consideration is if the socket you're plugging into can take the 10 amps the PHEV will draw through the supplied charger PLUS whatever is already running on that circuit. If it's part of the main ring main of the property, that will be fused (MCB'd) at 30 amps, so probably no problem at all. But if it's on a spur off of that main ring, or a separate spur from the board, then probably 15 amps will be the safe working draw (assuming it's in 2.5mm twin+earth wiring). Still OK, as long as you take any other running equipment into account.

The problem with a lot of older properties is that they have been added to piecemeal, and sometimes not in a professional way!

 

[Sharky]

I have used the supplied 13amp plug lead to type 1 connector through a 10m extension lead and just to spice things up I plugged it into a spur socket. No problems at all. Nothing got warm even after 2hrs use.

As CJ1045 said earlier just make sure any extension lead you use is fully unwound. I my opinion that is probably the biggest risk as any tightly wound extension leads will get warm/hot when a constant current is pulled through. When coiled up, as a coil it is an inductor which resists the flow of AC. Resistance = heat = fire = bad day. Add to that it restricts the power flow resulting in poor performance at the other end. If you are just powering a low current draw device like a small radio then no big deal, but a with power tool or the PHEV I'd unravel it for serious prolonged use.

The manual like any other these days is full dire warnings, trying to cover their backside just in case we manage to find that one scenario that burns the house down.

 

[Paule23]

I have used the supplied 13amp plug lead to type 1 connector through a 10m extension lead and just to spice things up I plugged it into a spur socket. No problems at all. Nothing got warm even after 2hrs use.

Blimey, you like to live on the edge Sharky :mrgreen: :lol: